Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6O-03555

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the rise in unemployment in Edinburgh as recently reported by the ONS.

Question reference: S6W-27352

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government regarding the elimination of cervical cancer in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-27351

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has agreed a date by which cervical cancer will be eliminated in Scotland, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Expert Group established to lead on scoping work to consider and to provide recommendations on how Scotland will work towards reaching the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate Cervical Cancer met for the first time on 25 April 2024. This group will consider what actions are required to achieve elimination of Cervical Cancer in Scotland, and the timelines required for this .

Question reference: S6W-27353

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24755 by Jenni Minto on 6 February 2024, whether it will provide an update on what the status of the Expert Group is that was established to lead on scoping work to consider and provide recommendations on how Scotland will work towards reaching the targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to eliminate cervical cancer; who the members of the Expert Group are; how many times the Expert Group has met, and what progress the Expert Group has made to date.

The inaugural meeting of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Expert Group took place on 25 April 2024. The Expert Group agreed to establish working groups to undertake in-depth modelling, to consider and analyse data, and to inform their recommendations around a Cervical Cancer Elimination target date.

Membership of the Expert Group includes representatives from Scottish Government, clinicians, Public Health Scotland (PHS), National Services Division Screening team and Third Sector organisations.

Question reference: S6W-26827

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-23717 and S6W-23718 by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023, whether it is aware of any specialist services for children and young people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in Scotland, and, if it is the case that it is not aware of any such services, what plans it has to address this.

We recognise the importance of good quality care for children and young people living with ME/CFS.

Children and young people with ME/CFS can experience a wide spectrum of symptoms and may require input from clinicians from a variety of specialisms. We know there is no ‘one-size fits all’ response and a focus is required on coordinating existing care. Whilst children and Young People are not included within the scope of the current Neurological Care & Support Framework strategy, those who need assessment by a consultant or other professional can access this after an appropriate referral, normally from a GP, and can be referred to any further services as required such as paediatric medical specialities, paediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

The provision of healthcare services is the responsibility of local NHS Health Boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment. Whilst our 2023 survey of health boards’ arrangements for ME/CFS care did not identify any ME-specific specialist services for children and young people, Boards are expected to ensure that patients have access to a range of professionals to provide the appropriate management of their condition.

Question reference: S6O-03397

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support NHS Lothian in reducing the CAMHS waiting lists across the region.

Question reference: S6O-03366

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that local government debt has now risen to 160% of its annual funding settlement.

Question reference: S6W-26419

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported 10% rise in Scotland’s suspected drug deaths in 2023, what additional measures it will take to improve access to treatment.

In response to the increasing risk profile of people using drugs in Scotland, the Scottish Government will continue to work to extend the coverage of MAT standards beyond just Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) so that people and services can be clear on what is expected from services by way of any treatment pathway no matter what type of support service is required.

The Scottish Government is also working with Public Health Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland on a suite of MAT guidance on the applicability of the standards to care, support and treatment for people impacted by alcohol and other non-opioid drugs; as well as continuing to work with the UK Government on developing new UK-wide clinical guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. This guidance will look to introduce new approaches to treatment and will apply to a broad range of settings including primary care, hospital and justice.

In addition, the Scottish Government has committed in response to the Drug Death Taskforce’s recommendations in the ‘Changing Lives’ Report and Cross Government Plan to develop a national specification and overarching guidance for the delivery of person-centred care and support for people impacted by alcohol and drugs, to help save and improve lives by providing clarity and focus. The proposed National Specification will set out the types of services that should be available all across Scotland as well as providing the impetus for adopting improved joint working between the public sector and third sector partners to improve outcomes for people who require support.

Question reference: S6W-26421

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated to drug (a) prevention, (b) treatment and (c) harm reduction initiatives for the financial year 2024-25, and what its position is on whether these resources will be adequate to tackle the reported 10% increase in suspected drug deaths in 2023.

Full budget allocations for 2024-25 are still to be confirmed.

It is not possible to disaggregate the full budget by these themes as Alcohol and Drug Partnerships receive around three quarters of the total drugs and alcohol budget to distribute at the local level. At a national level, many of the projects and organisations also support all three areas. The published draft budget for 2024-25 has maintained our budget for alcohol and drugs at the same level as 2023-24.

The National Mission funding has brought about major reform and improvement in services for people with drug and alcohol problems including:

Continuing to widen the access to life-saving Naloxone with an estimated 7 in 10 people at risk having a kit; Police Scotland completing roll out amongst frontline staff.
Continuing to drive implementation of the MAT Standards across the country. All delivery partners have returned implementation plans and report on progress on either a monthly or quarterly basis.
A whole systems approach to prevention.

Question reference: S6W-26420

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported 10% rise in Scotland’s suspected drug deaths in 2023, whether it will increase funding levels for treatment.

Drug deaths remain a public health emergency and services have seen a significant increase in funding as a result of the National Mission. This increase of funding into drug policy represents a 67% increase from 2014-15 to 2023-24 according to Audit Scotland figures published in 2022. The published draft budget for 2024-25 has maintained our budget for alcohol and drugs at the same level as 2023-24.